Shane Watson fails to redeem golden chance to silence critics

Watson was removed by Ashwin when he was batting on 52 off 89 deliveries.

Shane Watson got his first half-century in last nine Tests as he scored 52 in the first innings against India in the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). He looked well-set to convert the start into a big innings, but Watson vanished after playing a lazy shot off Ravichandran Ashwin. Varun Arora takes a look at his innings.

Shane Watson has established himself as an important figure in both the departments of the game in these 10 long years after he made his debut in 2005. More than the bowling, his batting has had a major role to play in his contribution to the team. But after several unfruitful performances from the 33-year-old, the critics began to speak harshly of him.  His scores in the previous four innings in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy read 25, 0, 14, and 33. Watson needed to score and his chance was to tear the Indian bowling attack apart in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

MCG was a perfect opportunity for him to regain his lost touch. He had previously played seven innings at this very venue and amassed four half-centuries and one century. By all probabilities his eighth innings was likely to be special.

Watson came in early at the crease — in the second over of the Australian innings when David Warner was dismissed by Varun Aaron. It was a bit too early for a No. 3 to come to the centre, especially it got ncreasingly difficult to score. His partner on the other end had the same tale to recite — they both needed runs. Umesh Yadav bowled the the third over the innings and jogged back a dozen steps to steam the new ball in towards Watson. Yadav pounded his strong legs with an animated rhythm in the ground and splashed in a short ball towards Watson. India surely had a plan to give any new batsmen heebie-jeebies. Watson snorted away for a quick single as wicket-keeper MS Dhoni failed to collect the ball cleanly.

He opened his mark with an inside edge that he got on the first delivery of the next over bowled by Ishant Sharma. His first boundary came off the 15th over bowled by Mohammed Shami. The India pacer jammed a short ball into the brown texture and Watson, who stood deep in his crease blasted it towards the deep mid-wicket boundary. There was something more to this boundary; it had a Watson like perfection stamped over it. Shami ran in to bowl the final ball of the 15th over which he pitched outside off and Watson who waiting for it crunched it past the off-side protection.

Even the critics who had voiced their disagreements against Watson, could not sense a recovery coming. Watson had got to 25 off just 30 balls, his second highest score of this series.

Ishant Sharma, who was deployed to ball the next over was welcomed to the crease with a half-lap pull which cruised to the boundary ropes. Watson brought up his 23rd half-century in the 33rd over, as he flicked Ishant for a single. He looked like a relieved man, as all the complaints and tales of poor form has brushed down his memory. But the story didn’t end as he had a bigger task to achieve. This small start needed to be supplied into a big score.

But, Watson gave it all away. He was removed by Ashwin when he was batting on 52 off 89 deliveries. It was a conventional off-spin delivery that was darted on the off stump and Watson went for a lazy sweep but missed to connect and was given leg-before. He made a botch of his valiant effort. This was the worst shot he could have played to that delivery. He bent his head down and walked back to the pavilion.

(Varun Arora is a reporter with CricketCountry. He started as a medium-fast bowler, converted to an opening batsman but finally settled with his passion of writing about the game. His Twitter handle is @varunjgd)

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